Pressure sores or decubitus ulcers classically result from localized tissue ischemia at pressure points on a patient's skin associated with immobility. However, friction and maceration at the skin site may also be contributing factors. Common locations of decubitus ulcers include the heel, the ankle, the sacral region, the coccygeal region, the ischial region, the knee, and the elbow. Traditional therapy for pressure ulcers has focused on prevention of these ulcers, due to the difficulty of treating the ulcers once they have formed. These treatments include nursing protocols to frequently turn or change the position of bedbound patients, as well as equipment to redistribute focal forces acting on a patient's skin, such as foam boots and fluidized beds.
Recently, the delivery of reduced pressure wound therapy (RPWT) has shown promise in the treatment of wounds. Typically, RPWT involves creating an enclosed space around a wound and connecting this enclosed space to a reduced pressure source. The creation of the enclosed space is achieved most commonly with an adhesive-coated thin polyurethane film. A conduit, typically a port that may be connected to flexible tubing, from the enclosure created by the adhesive barrier usually is used to connect to the reduced pressure source which facilitates reduced pressure application to the wound site as well as removal of wound exudates. RPWT has been shown to accelerate or promote the healing of a variety of chronic wounds, including diabetic ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, surgical wounds and traumatic wounds.